Angela Rayner bio

Angela Rayner was elected as Ashton-under-Lyne's MP in 2015, the first ever woman MP for a Tameside seat. After serving as an Opposition Whip, she was appointed Shadow Pensions Minister in January 2016. She grew up on a council estate in a deprived neighbourhood, went to the local state school and left at 16 when she was pregnant, after being told she would “never amount to anything.” She worked as a care assistant for the elderly, became an active trade unionist and was later elected to represent 200,000 public sector workers across the North West as UNISON Regional Convenor. Two of her children have disabilities and she is the main carer for her mother, who is bi-polar.